Introduction

• People have long dreamed of an egalitarian society, but such a society has never existed.
• All human societies, from the simplest to the most complex, have some form of social inequality.
• Power and prestige are unequally distributed between individuals and social groups, and there are often marked differences in the distribution of wealth.
• Power refers to the degree to which individuals or groups can impose their will on others, with or without their consent.
• Prestige relates to the amount of esteem or honour associated with social positions, qualities of individuals, and styles of life.
• Wealth refers to material possessions defined as valuable in particular societies, such as land, livestock, buildings, money, and other forms of property owned by individuals or social groups.

Social Inequality and Social Stratification

• Social inequality refers to the existence of socially created inequalities.
• Social stratification is a particular form of social inequality, referring to distinct social groups ranked in terms of factors such as prestige and wealth.
• Members of a particular group or stratum have a shared common identity, interests, and a similar lifestyle, which distinguishes them from other social strata.
• The Hindu caste system in India is an example of a social stratification system.
• Traditional Hindu society was divided into five main strata: four varnas (castes) and a fifth group, the outcaste (untouchables).
• Castes were subdivided into jatis or subcastes, each representing occupational groups (e.g., carpenters, goldsmiths, potters).
• Castes were ranked in terms of ritual purity: the Brahmins (priests) were the highest caste, symbolizing purity, sanctity, and holiness.
• Untouchables were considered unclean, and their social relationships were affected by this status. They performed degrading tasks and were segregated from the caste system.
• The hierarchy of power mirrored the hierarchy of prestige based on ritual purity.
• Brahmins tended to be the largest landowners and were custodians of the law, which was based on their pronouncements.
• Inequalities of wealth were often linked to those of prestige and power.
• Although the caste system has been made illegal in modern India, it still influences social dynamics, especially in rural areas.
• Social stratification involves a hierarchy of social groups with common identity, interests, and a similar lifestyle, resulting in unequal distribution of rewards.
• Social inequality can exist without social strata. For example, class systems may have broken down in Western societies, but inequalities in wealth, power, and status still persist.
• There are still great differences in wealth, power, and status in Western society, continuing social inequality.

Stratification Systems

• Stratification systems often lead to the development of distinct subcultures within each stratum, characterized by unique norms, attitudes, and values.
• A subculture tends to develop when members of a social group experience similar circumstances and problems that are not common to all members.
• Studies of class stratification focus on the nature of class subcultures and whether they are as strong as they once were.
• Pierre Bourdieu’s work has reinvigorated interest in the relationship between class and culture.
• Subcultures are more distinctive when there is little opportunity for social mobility between strata.
• Social mobility refers to the movement of individuals between social strata. It can be upward (e.g., moving from working class to middle class) or downward.
• Closed stratification systems offer little social mobility, while open systems have a relatively high rate of mobility.
• Closed systems are characterized by ascribed status, where an individual’s position is largely fixed at birth, with little opportunity for change. Caste is an example of a closed system.
• Open systems allow for achieved status, where individuals can change their social position through talent, hard work, or luck.
• Class systems provide the possibility of social mobility, allowing some individuals to improve their position.
• A person’s position in a stratification system can affect their life chances, or the likelihood of obtaining desirable things and avoiding undesirable ones in society.
• Life chances include access to resources, opportunities, and outcomes that are influenced by one’s social position (e.g., education, healthcare, job opportunities).
• The concept of life chances applies particularly in the context of Western society.